Hamlet
at La Habra

Reviewed on April 29, 2016

Evan Cusato
Los Alamitos
Submitted for publication to OC Register

Wild west meets William Shakespeare at La Habra

Brandishing revolvers and cowboy hats, La Habra's western rendition of "Hamlet," brings new life and dimension to one of Shakespeare's finest. With peanuts covering the bar, shelves full of liquor, and actors coming through theater aisles and every other nook and cranny of the set, the cast and crew of this truly immersive production masterfully recount one of the greatest revenge stories ever written.

Ophelia (Emily Taylor) and Hamlet (Michael Reehl) both flirt with insanity in this show. Reehl and Taylor do a fantastic job of varying their performances in line with their degree of sanity. Reehl's split-second changes in posture and speech patterns beautifully articulate Hamlet's lunacy amid the Shakespearian dialogue. Ophelia's descent into madness has powerful emotional resonance in "Hamlet." Taylor's rapid-fire, schizophrenic transitions from a dazed visage and sing-song voice to an angry, yelling grief-ridden rampage are awe-inspiring in their potency.

Bryce Satterfield's performance as Claudius is a textbook portrayal of old western gunslinger villain. He strolls around the stage in wide, swaggering steps and his hands only leave his belt to make grandiose gestures across the stage. His bravado takes full force when he speaks, his booming voice echoing whenever he utters a word. His blending of this western bravado with the classical character leaves no doubt of his kingly status and villainous role in the story.

Bryan Connolly's portrayal of Polonius is equally memorable, as he whips and points emphatically with his cane while telling long stories in the distinctively raspy and high-pitched voice of a truly aged hillbilly. His hunched posture and shuffling gait further differentiate his character, if his voluminous beard and bushy eyebrows were not enough.

Connolly's excellent facial hair and fluid age makeup are the crowning achievement of make-up chair, Emily Taylor's work in the show. She also adds many other pieces of facial hair to many of the other actors, such as to Wyatt Logan and Zach Fogel, who each portray four characters with distinct facial hair styles.

Props chair Austin Tebay brings the show together with numerous authentic pieces around the bar, such as the bottles and rocking horse. The saloon piano, which is opened and used for the gravedigger scene functions perfectly for the scene.

La Habra tips a cowboy hat to the Bard in their technically ingenuitive and superbly performed "Hamlet."

Sarah Ledesma
Mater Dei
Submitted for publication to OC Register

La Habra's 'Hamlet' brings a western flare to Shakespeare's tragedy

The lights fade up as the audience fixates on a gently lit saloon with a bar stool set stage left. Horatio enters with two of the saloon bartenders and as they talk of Hamlet the lights flicker and begin to turn green and hazy as the ghost of Hamlet enters and frightens the three men. Set in the western era, La Habra High School tells the story of 'Hamlet.'

Hamlet, portrayed by Michael Reehl, is the Prince of Denmark. He begins the play mourning the death of his father, the former King of Denmark. Hamlet is very philosophical and Reehl exemplifies this as he slowly moves freely across the stage while delivering his monologues with such passion. Reehl reveals Hamlet's impulsive and obsessive manner as he swiftly stabs Polonius, played by Bryan Connolly behind a curtain without confirming who it was.

Ophelia, played by Emily Taylor is a sweet girl who obeys everyone, especially her father. She listens and does what she is told and even when Polonius tells her to never see Hamlet again she obeys. Taylor demonstrates Ophelia's character development smoothly notably after she discovers the death of her father. She changes into a crazy, deranged girl who is confused on what to do with herself because she no longer has her father to tell her.

The seamless lighting transitions created by Sara Cueto, translate the set tone of each scene. As the Ghost of Hamlet, portrayed by Alissa Schoeman, shuffles into the scenes the lights began to flicker and transition into a green tint which really created a feel for the character of the Ghost of the Hamlet. The use of the decorative tumbleweeds filled with lights also would flicker throughout these scenes and added to the western flare of the play.

The elaborate sets and props, done by Michael Reehl and Austin Tebay were very refined to such a detailed touch. The piano that was set in the saloon transformed into a grave during a later scene. It held actual dirt so that the grave digger would climb in a dig out real dirt. The adding of the dirt gave the grave a realistic accent.

La Habra High School's captivating production was filled with dynamic characters as well as intricate lighting and sets. The cast delivered their western interpretation of 'Hamlet' seamlessly.

Samantha Pietenpol
El Dorado
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

La Habra's "Hamlet": A classic tragedy with a western twist

William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" is given a Western theme in La Habra High Schools' production. The traditional story of the Danish prince, Hamlet, and his endeavor to avenge his father's death comes to life in a Western saloon, complete with a classic bar brawl. The cast explores the dangers of revenge in their heartfelt performance.

As the emotionally tormented Hamlet, Michael Reehl uses dynamic acting choices. Reehl uses careful diction and gestures when sane. His sarcastic delivery of lines accompanied by snarky looks show his disdain for other characters as he fools them into thinking he is insane. Reehl takes his character's emotions even further by showing his anger through forceful yells and tense facial expressions.

Another standout is Emily Taylor as the virtuous Ophelia. Taylor immediately grabs attention as she delivers her lines with passion and impeccable diction, maintaining her accent throughout the play. She starts the show as the sweet, innocent love interest of Hamlet, quickly transitioning to a girl driven mad by the death of her father and the loss of Hamlet's love. Taylor completes this transformation with wild, gasping breaths while yelling at the other characters, then swiftly changing to a vacant, almost child-like demeanor as she sings and dances without music.

The show would not have been complete without the impressive technical aspects. The sets and props teams, headed by Michael Reehl and Austin Tebay respectively, created an authentic-looking Western saloon. The detailed set consists of two levels made of wood, with staircases on both sides. This allows the scenes to transition smoothly and for the actors to utilize the entire stage. The props team decorated the set with actual bottles of alcohol for the bar, and even made a sugar glass bottle to be broken over Hamlet's head. Other authentic props, like the guns, add to the show and help the actors immerse themselves in the Western theme.

Lights and Sound by Sara Cueto contribute to the mood of the show. When the ghost of Hamlet appears, the stage is bathed in eerie sounds and hazy green light. Cueto uses yellows during other scenes, like the play within the play. The simple design allows the actors to shine.

The La Habra Theater Guild delivers an emotional production of Hamlet, showcasing superior acting and technical aspects while reminding audiences of the consequences that come with revenge.